Leadership Demands Fundamental Shift in Legal Enforcement
HANOI — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam called for urgent and fundamental improvements in law enforcement on September 28, stressing that legislation and its enforcement must form a unified whole.
Lam chaired the September meeting of the Standing Board of the central steering committee on institution improvement and law enforcement. The meeting also saw the attendance of Politburo members Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and Standing Member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat Tran Cam Tu.
Speaking at the event, Lam stated that the effectiveness of lawmaking and enforcement should be measured by specific outcomes: the removal of bottlenecks, lower compliance costs, better mobilization of resources, stronger discipline, and the effective protection of the legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses.
Lam emphasized that these legal frameworks must ultimately serve development, protect legitimate rights and interests, and strengthen public trust. He demanded a sweeping review rather than piecemeal amendments to individual laws to ensure people's rights are protected on a continuing basis.
Constitutional Review and Administrative Reform
During the session, the meeting approved a plan to develop the project on reviewing the 2013 Constitution and studying and proposing comprehensive amendments to the Constitution. This approval aligns with broader efforts to address systemic issues within the state apparatus.
Bottlenecks in personnel, data, resources, and coordination mechanisms identified in the third round of inspection and supervision by the Politburo and Party Central Committee Secretariat must continue to be addressed to make the administrative system model more effective.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung contributed to the discussion on economic drivers, asserting that Vietnam can no longer depend on capital and cheap labor. He argued that boosting productivity through science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation is the only way to maintain strong double-digit growth.
Legislative Priorities and Sector-Specific Reforms
The agenda also covered specific legislative updates and sectoral regulations. Lawmakers urged a more transparent electricity pricing mechanism, tighter cost control, fairer risk allocation, and stronger protection for consumers.
In related legislative developments, the National Assembly Standing Committee reviewed a draft data security law. Separately, legislators moved to overhaul food safety law with a single focal point, aiming to create a sound policy framework supported by robust regulations and a consistent legal system.
On the international front, the Government Inspectorate of Vietnam broadly accepted proposals from a Cambodian ministry to maintain, renew, and make more effective regular meetings between professional units and training establishments. The agreement also includes provisions to increase exchanges of senior, expert, and specialized working-group delegations.